Hi my 2002 Gem just started charging only to 60%. Then when I drive it it quickly drops down to 40 or lower in about 1 mile. Any ideas? I tried charging each battery on it’s own and they all seemed to charge fully.
How old are the batteries? Did one battery charge faster than the others? If you charged them individually and get the same result, the charger should be okay. With the batteries run down, check the voltage with a good voltmeter and look for any discrepancies. Usually, one bad battery drags down the other five.
Daniel
[QUOTE=GEMmechanic;10321]How old are the batteries? Did one battery charge faster than the others? If you charged them individually and get the same result, the charger should be okay. With the batteries run down, check the voltage with a good voltmeter and look for any discrepancies. Usually, one bad battery drags down the other five.
Daniel[/QUOTE]
Thanks Daniel I will try your suggestions and post again.
[QUOTE=rcscode;10320]Hi my 2002 Gem just started charging only to 60%. Then when I drive it it quickly drops down to 40 or lower in about 1 mile. Any ideas? I tried charging each battery on it’s own and they all seemed to charge fully.[/QUOTE]
We had a similar problem. We replaced one battery, and then eventually all the others. Check the charging lights under the car. Park the gem and plug it in and check the lights underneath the hood area. They tell how it’s really charging. They should turn green eventually. I hate to tell you this, but new batteries are probably in order. You can order them through Napa, because we were able to get ours from them. Check it out.
rcscode, your 2002 GEM does not have charging lights under the hood. Your charger is under the dash and does not have lights. The charge indicator is the LED on the steering column. Here is my post detailing all of the Zivan NG1 codes.
Daniel
my NG! seems to have no switch to go to C for gel (napas 31m) optima blue batteries. I do see the AX1 and AX2. both connectors go in AX2 on the far right, NO and C. What does moving these do? Do i have to change programming for the optimas. There is no micoprocessor note on there.
Mahalo
Jeff
NC means normally closed NO means normally open These are the contacts for the charger interlock switch to prevent cart operation when the charger is plugged in.
I see 1996 in your header. Is this the year of the cart? How many volts is your GEM?
Optima blue tops are AGM batteries not Gels. Your charger does not have an AGM setting so the Flooded setting is the correct one for your equipment.
Rodney
thanks for getting that battery cleared up. Its a 2002 gem at 72 volts. I got it a few weeks ago and the last owner drove it only 10 miles. Its from CA and has 700 mils on it. He put in the AGM napa optima blue N99031Mblue about a year ago. He thought theses were gel but you cleared that up for me…thanks. The Zivan people confirm what you say about not having a setting for AGM. they want me to send in the charger for a reprogram for AGM. They say without that it will reduce the battery life to 2 years or so Do you know if this correct? I am seeing strange readings. I can charge them to 95%, turn the ignition on and off. Each time i do this (no driving) it drops 5% all the way to 75 % If ileave the chager on longer to reads at 80-85% instead of 100%. I have seen a 100% once. If i charge them to say 85% then turn off the master switch, the next day they have lost 5%. I did find one battery that read 10.7. it goes to the master and the, i think the front batteries. Are these batters the best ones at $250 plus? How do I ck the inconsistant charging, and the 5% .drops. If i leave the charger on 48 hrs it seem to drop down to 80% instead of going to 100%???
Sounds like you have at least 1 bad battery. You have all the signs of a failing pack.
Optimas are not my pick. I prefer DEKA or Trojan. Brand GC (Golf Cart) rated batteries…
After you make sure you have 6 good batteries do this. Fully charge the batteries. Shut the charger off. After 10 minutes turn it back on. Let it charge until it shuts off and repeat one more time.
This procedure balances all the cells and helps to reduce “sulphation” This should be done once a month on flooded and AGM batteries. This procedure is called “Equalization” This procedure is especially helpful for Full River and US Battery brands. This procedure NOT for gels.
If you continue to use AGMs I would get the charger upgraded. AGM profile is stronger than the others. If you upgrade get ALL the current features added.
Rodney